A longtime Ark City man is Legacy Foundation’s “Spirit of Humanity” award honoree for this year.
According to a news release, Wayne Hamilton will be recognized with a reception on Tuesday, March 28.
Hamilton is the seventh recipient of the award.
“We are delighted to have this opportunity to recognize Wayne’s generosity and leadership in our community,” Legacy Foundation CEO Yazmin Wood said in the news release. “His philanthropic work, civic leadership and volunteerism truly inspire the vision of Legacy Foundation in action.”
The come-and-go reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. at Legacy Foundation, 1216 Main, in Winfield.
Everyone is invited to attend.
Hamilton, with his wife, Kay, moved to Arkansas City in 1970 where he made his home and grew his business, Legacy Foundation said.
Raised in Cheney, Wayne graduated from Emporia State University prior to attending University of Michigan for graduate school. He began his professional work life serving as a high school band director for 10 years before leaving teaching for the financial sector.
Together Wayne and Kay grew OFG Financial Services.
In 2017, the Hamiltons moved to Wichita to be nearer to family, but Wayne still travels to Ark City most weeks to attend Rotary Club where he has been a member for over 30 years, visit clients and friends, as well as to provide community leadership to causes he cares deeply about, the news release said.
“The major influence in Wayne’s life as a philanthropist was the death of his great friend, Robert Warrender,” Legacy Foundation said. “They met while participating in the Ark City Municipal Band. Warrender’s primary instruments were saxophone and clarinet. Hamilton played trombone.
“It was their mutual interests in investments and music that forged their friendship.”
Legacy Foundation says Hamilton was “blown away” by the trust and responsibility Warrender placed in him by naming him the successor trustee to the Robert R. Warrender Trust.
Through his estate, Warrender charged Hamilton with annually distributing 6% of the over $1 million in assets to benefit the Sedan and Ark City communities. Prior to his passing, Warrender established a multi-year scholarship opportunity through Legacy Foundation. Hamilton has expanded the scholarship to multiple scholarships including Sedan, Ark City and Winfield.
What began as one scholarship now has up to 20 students receiving scholarship funds each year.
In addition to work through the Warrender Trust, the Hamiltons support their own philanthropic interests.
“People helped me through college,” Wayne said, “I’ll never forget that. It’s my turn to help others.”
Hamilton told Legacy Foundation the need is no doubt out there.
“As you get involved in giving you start to recognize how much need there is in communities,” Hamilton said. “It’s hard to be judgmental when you learn someone’s story.”
Legacy Foundation said Hamilton lives his faith.
“It is statements like that which speak to his Christian spirit and longtime involvement in the Methodist Church, as well as his commitment to the Rotary motto ‘Service Above Self,"” the news release stated. “Seeing the needs of individuals in financial despair compelled Hamilton to seek out organizations that are helping the cause.”
Support has been extended to charitable efforts such as Ark City Habitat for Humanity, Angels in the Attic, Etzanoa, health care issues like physician recruitment and annual gifts to Warrender’s church in Geuda Springs, as well as others.
Legacy Foundation is also a recipient of his financial support and championship.
Most of the work has been in programming as Warrender was not excited about “brick and mortar” projects, Legacy Foundation said.
Involvement with Legacy Foundation, especially as a member of the Sustainable Development Goals Task Force which led the “A Closer Look at Cowley Kids” Data Walk Initiative, has opened Hamilton’s eyes to greater possibilities, the news release stated.
“Hamilton continues to search out creative solutions in addressing community issues such as leveraging matching gifts as well as giving outright,” Legacy Foundation said.
The Legacy Foundation board of directors established the “Spirit of Humanity” award in October 2016 when celebrating the foundation’s 20th anniversary.
“It is the desire of the board of directors to recognize community members that inspire by their action the vision of Legacy Foundation that creates a stronger future for our area by building endowments, instilling informed leadership and connecting donors to the critical needs of the region,” the foundation said.
The first Spirit of Humanity was awarded to Sid Regnier. Subsequent awardees include Tom & Mari Wallrabenstein (2017), Phil & Mary Jarvis (2018), Glen & Louise Stevenson (2019), Karen Zeller (2020), and Bill & Belinda Mueller (2021).
Nelson Mandela is credited with saying, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” Wayne Hamilton is a stellar example of Mandela’s ideal.
Nominations for the 2023 Spirit of Humanity are now being accepted.
Community members are encouraged to nominate individuals or groups that embody the Spirit of Humanity. You will find the application and guidelines at www.legacyregionalfoundation.org or contact the foundation for more information by calling 620-221-7224 or email [email protected].
